Author: reallifesecrets

There are 7 Secrets to Life — LIVE, READ, LOVE, FIGHT, BELIEVE, LIVE & PRAY. Live you life by them and you will find lasting happiness, peace, and fulfillment. Life was meant to be so simple. We are the ones who complicate it. God wants us to enjoy life to the fullest!

Don’t Beat Yourself Up!

When I do something wrong—and that’s often—I tend to beat myself up. Call it Catholic guilt or whatever but I just beat the daylights out of me. I’m now determined to stop the beating. That’s because once I review what I did wrong, confess it and am really sorry, and pledge to don’t do it again, I move on. Jesus died for my wrongs and left them hanging on the cross. So, by asking for forgiveness I receive forgiveness.

Yes, it’s that simple.

Let’s face it. We are all humans, which means by nature we are all sinners. We make mistakes. We are far from perfect. But the trick is knowing when you did something wrong, really understanding it, and asking for forgiveness, it’s time to move on.

There is a simple message in all of this. Don’t beat yourself up. Jesus doesn’t want you to beat yourself up. He just wants you to know what you did wrong and ask for forgiveness. Your sins are already forgiven when you do that. No beating necessary. That doesn’t solve the problem.

And I have a news flash. The devil wants you to beat yourself up. Over and over again. He doesn’t want you to ask for forgiveness and to move on. He wants your stuck in the mud beating yourself up. He wins, you lose.

Have a great week ahead and DON’T BEAT YOURSELF UP!!!

Hope Springs Eternal!

If you lose hope you lose life. But you never should lose hope because God hardwired hope into each one of us. It truly springs eternal in us, for now and forever.

If you lose hope you simply need to turn to God and you will have hope. It’s the hope that you can overcome anything in this life, do anything. That’s the message of hope. It springs eternal!

I know this all sounds too simple but it is. God made us to have simple lives but we complicate them. He is always there for us but we are most often now there for Him.

“Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me.” Revelation‬ ‭3‬:‭20‬ ‭

Keep your hope alive. Let God into your life. He keeps the flame of hope lit. Hope that you will realize your purpose in life and the hope that eternity awaits when you depart this earth.

Hope! It springs eternal to eternity.

New Day, New You

It’s not just New Year’s Day, but every day is a new day and a chance to make a new you. If anything is wrong in your life or needs changed, a new day gives you the opportunity to make a new you. You just need to put in the work and effort to change.

There’s no better way to make a new you than to renew your relationship with God. He is always there, less than a heartbeat away, to help you make a new you. You simply have to open up your mind and heart to God. You have to LISTEN for and to Him. You have to spend time with God.

It’s a new week and a new day. What better time to make a new you. It doesn’t matter where you have been in your life or what you have done. There is always the time to course correct in making a new you. It may take some work but it will be worth it in the end.

Open up to God today. He’s there. You just have to be there.

Have a FANTASTIC week ahead being a new you!

Talk About Yourself, Not Others

There is too much pointing fingers and talking about the other person, rather than looking inward and talking about ourselves. Regardless of whether its on the political campaign trail, in the media, or in the neighborhood, the amount of finger pointing and talking about the other person is at an all time high. No one does anything wrong anymore. It’s always the other person. I’m always the victim. Not!

We all need to stop talking about others and start talking to ourselves about ourselves. What are we doing wrong? How are we sinning? How are we putting ourselves before others?

Paul said it all too well in his letter to the Ephesians (4:29)…

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

News flash! Don’t expect God to forgive your sins until you forgive others. That means no talking about others. The only person you should be talking about to you is you. Look inward as to what is wrong. Not outward.

Enjoy the weekend and the week ahead!

Bury Your Mistakes

I mean literally dig a hole and bury what you have done wrong. And if you literally don’t want to dig a hole and bury your notes on what you have done wrong then bury the hole in your mind. One way or another, get rid of your wrongs. Ask God for forgiveness and learn from what you have done wrong so you don’t do it again. Then, bury them.

I know that Jesus died for our sins/wrongs/mistakes in life. But you have to ask Him for forgiveness before those sins are forgiven. When you ask and truly are repentant then those sins are forgiven and died with Jesus’ “death” on the cross.

But mistakes in life have a funny way of sticking around and bogging us down. That’s why after asking for forgiveness and learning from our mistakes, we need to bury them.

Whether you bury the notes of your wrongs in an actual hole, or dig the hole in your mind and “bury” them, one way or another get rid of them. Move on! Get rid of any guilt because it has a way of eating away at you. Move on! Really! MOVE ON!!!

Have a FANTASTIC week ahead and bury those mistakes!

Conform or Transform?

Are you a conformist or a transformer? Do you follow everyone else, including down dead ends in life, or are you looking to be different? To transform. Paul’s letter to the Romans says it all:

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” Romans 12:2

The Israelites conformed to each other and wandered the desert for 40 years. They were basically one mindset. They got lost conforming. Unfortunately, that’s what so many of us do today. We conform, even if we conform to be different. That’s why we are basically lost.

Paul nailed it that if you want to get closer to God, to walk the right path in life, you need to transform your mind by renewing it. That way you can start understanding what is not only good and acceptable but what is perfect to God. The world becomes brighter and clearer.

How do you transform by renewing? By listening for and to God. It’s that easy. You just have to make time, and LISTEN with an open mind and heart. That way you will start transforming your mind, and your life along with it.

LISTEN! Renew! Transform!

No Room for Guilt in Your Life!

I was the king of guilt and still sit on the throne of guilt on occasion. Gut I’m here to tell you what I found out—there is no room for guilt in your life. Why? Because Jesus lived and died for all our sins, not matter what we do wrong. So, confess with your heart that you screwed up and you are free. There is no reason to let guilt ruin your day, or even your life.

I use to beat myself up with guilt. It was a true whipping session that could go on for days. I felt comfortable in my guilt even if it froze me from moving forward. Then, I realized that a true confession wipes the remorse away.

Confessing what you did wrong is not like rubbing a magic lamp. It’s a serious, heartfelt examination of what you did and a commitment to not do it again. It’s a soulful talk with Jesus to thank Him for giving His life for what you did wrong. By wallowing in your guilt you’re actually denying that Jesus lived and died for your sins. So, give in to confessing, asking for forgiveness, and know that you have already been forgiven.

Get rid of the guilt!

Have a fantastic, guilt-free week ahead!

Recharge Your Light

I recently wrote that we all have a light hardwired into us by God. The problem is so many (most?) of us let that light be hidden. That’s why the world is such a dark place right now. The lights are not out but just hidden.

“You are light for the world. A city cannot be hidden when it is located on a hill. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket. Instead, everyone who lights a lamp puts it on a lamp stand. Then its light shines on everyone in the house. In the same way let your light shine in front of people. Then they will see the good that you do and praise your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16

This says it all. Let your light shine. That’s the only way the world will get out of the darkness we’re in now. Like all change, it starts with one person at a time. A smile. A good deed. Reaching out to someone in trouble. Just do good. The beat goes on of how to let your light shine.

Every once in a while I know my light needs recharging. I get that done by asking God for a charge. By talking to Him. Praying. Meditating. Simply being still. It’s amazing how your light can charge up. But you still need to let it shine. Don’t hide it from view!

Have a FANTASTIC week! Let your light shine!!!

Don’t Hide Your Light!

Whether you know it or not, we all have the light of God in us. It’s a light that too many don’t know they have or simply keep hidden from view. It’s a light that must shine to keep out the darkness in a world that is getting increasingly dark.

As Jesus so clearly said: “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16

Do good and let everyone see it. Don’t keep your light hidden from view or, worse yet, burn out. Keep it shining and visible for all to see.

Smile. Help someone in need. Pay it forward. Give of yourself. Put others first. The list goes on of how you can keep your God-given light shining and lighting a dark world. It’s not hard to do. You just have to think past yourself.

Have an EXCEPTIONAL week lighting the way!

Do You Know Your God-Given Purpose?

It’s pretty simple. Everyone on the face of this earth has a God-given purpose. God created you and me. He gave us both a special, unique purpose for our lives. We don’t have to be powerful (in the earthly sense), rich, or anything like that. Our purpose is our purpose whatever it is. A Secret to Life is knowing that purpose and realizing it.

God hardwired a purpose into our lives. We just have to understand that purpose and carry it out. And the only way to find that purpose is to spend time with God. He will help us realize the special, unique purpose we each have in life.

I really think that what this life is about is finding our purpose and making whatever we are supposed to do happen. It doesn’t have to be earth-shattering. It’s our purpose and ours to carry out.

Again, there is nothing religious or magical here. It’s just about finding out what our lives are meant to be. Understanding our purpose in life and making sure we fulfill that purpose to the best of our abilities and time in this body and life.

If you want to start understanding your purpose simply LISTEN for/to God. He’s there for the talking.